My promise will mean something
by Opal Irises
Summary: Summer broke Seth's heart one to many times. But she has some important news for him. How will he react, and will he truly stay by her side? [SethSummer] [On Temporary Hiatus]
1. A promise

**DISCLAIMER – I don't own Seth, or Summer, the two main characters. Or, in saying that, The OC, or any OC related characters or products.**

**A/N – This is to have two chapters. Well, after the first chapter, tell me if I should continue. I'm not used to writing many Seth/Summer stories.**

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Summer didn't love him. She had once. Not anymore.

But there was a problem.

She knocked on his front door. Oh crap. She was so nervous. Her palms were sweating, there was a lump in her throat, and she could feel a stinging sensation behind her eyes. She was about to cry.

Don't cry, don't cry… 

Only a few days before, he had walked into her room, set and ready to apologize. Tell her he loved her and put it all behind them. They could be together again. But he had walked in on her sleeping with another guy. She'd tried to explain it. But he didn't want to listen. Fuck. She didn't even KNOW the guy. He was just some random. And she only did it because she couldn't have him…

Seth opened the door. As soon as he saw her, the smile disappeared from his face, the twinkle was gone from his eyes, and hurt emotions spilled everywhere. He said nothing. He just looked at her.

"Seth…" she started, her fists balled up on her sides. Her long, manicured nails dug into her skin. She felt the numbness, reminding her, don't cry, don't cry.

"Please…" Seth said. His voice was choked and his face looked pained. "Don't call me Seth."

"Cohen?" tried Summer hopefully.

Seth winced at her voice. Her voice saying his name. Just like she used to. "Even worse."

_**Be strong, be strong. Don't cry, you can't cry.**_

"I need to talk to you." She said slowly.

"I don't think so…"

"Please! Please it is really, really important."

He sighed. He still felt for her. Somewhere. Somewhere deep down inside him, where all the awful things she had done never existed.

He walked up to his room, her trailing behind him. She couldn't get too close. He walked in and close the door, sitting down on his bed. She didn't know what to do. So she stood. She looked around…It was like nothing had changed. Neat, perfect…A bit like him. On his bedside table stood Captain Oats, faithfully, always by his side. And next to Captain Oats…was a picture frame. And the picture inside was off them, kissing on the beach.

He still has that picture? 

Summer still had that picture, hanging on the wall opposite her bed. It was the last thing she saw before she closed her eyes. She knew she should take it down. Because, of course, she was over him. She was over Cohen. But she didn't have the heart to take the picture down…

Seth saw her looking at the picture, and quickly flipped it over so it was facing downwards. She could almost feel her heart break.

"What do you want Summer?"

There was no cheerfulness in his voice. No usual Cohen ramblings. Just cold. Cold and hard.

"I need to talk to you…"

"Make it quick then. So you can…" he trailed off.

Go. Leave. Never come back again? 

"Seth…I'm…"

It was too much for her. She broke down crying. She fell onto his floor an sobbed, her head buried in her arms. This was when Seth Cohen came through. The real one. The one that cared for her. He swooped down to her, and gently put his arm around her.

"Summer, what's wrong? Tell me."

In between sobs, she raised her head, gulping. She finally yelled out what she had been hiding.

"I'm pregnant!"

Seth immediately leapt off her. He looked at her like she was poison. How dare she come into his house and tell him this?

"Oh really." He said coldly. "So? What are you telling me for?"

"Seth!" she wailed. "You don't get it! I'm pregnant…"

"Yeah, so?"

"I'm pregnant…" she repeated, softly, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Summer!" he yelled. "I don't care! I don't give a fuck! You expect to come here, tell me you're pregnant and expect me to be HAPPY for you??"

Summer shook her head silently, opening her mouth, but no words able to form.

"Who's is it Summer? The guy I found you with??"

She shook her head again.

"Oh, there's more?? Why does that not surprise me? How many Sum? Three? Or even more. You'll have a hard time finding the father."

That was enough for her. She jumped off the floor and tried to hit him. He held her back and she started pounding his chest with her fists.

"YOU JERK! YOU JERK! DON'T YOU GET IT?? It's yours…"

He let go of her arms in shock, and she fell into him. She stopped pounding him and buried herself in him. His warmth. It dragged up the old memories. Of what they used to be. Maybe she did love him…Just a little bit.

He didn't know what to say. After all that had happened… "OK, OK…" He whispered, smoothing her hair, trying to sooth her strangled cry. "I'll…I'll be there for you."

She looked up at him. "Promise?" she whispered.

He thought about it for a minute.

"Promise."

**------------------**


	2. He had lied for her

**DISCLAIMER – I own nothing, and I have come to the (very sad) conclusion that I will never marry Josh, or Adam (Rachel, that's your fault!). Josh is 27, and while he is the youngest person ever to create a network series and run it on and day-to-day production bravo Josh, I'm proud of you, I am 12, and all I can do is watch his show.**

**A/N – Everyone who said I could make this longer…you are right! I was so tired when I wrote part one, and I've been thinking up new story lines! There will be more then two parts! Oh, and sorry its short! Anyway, enough from me…**

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Summer lay asleep of Seth's bed, as he sat on the floor, running his fingers through his hair. He know he said that he would be there for her…But he had realised it would be harder then it seemed. He still loved her…at least he thought he did. But she had hurt him so many times. So many times, that maybe now, when she needed him most, he wasn't able to stand it.

Summer opened her eyes. She was asleep on his bed. She saw Seth sitting on the floor. She opened her, mouth, about to say something to him. He drew his knees up to his chest and put his head down, his arms wrapped around his legs. Summer couldn't hear it very well, but she knew he was crying. So she didn't say anything. She closed her eyes, still able to see him through her dark eyelashes. Then she heard him whisper something that almost broke her heart…

"I'm not sure if I can do it Summer."

She closed her eyes completely, starting to breathe more heavily. She hadn't heard anything…She hadn't heard anything…

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"Summer? Are you awake?" his voice was soft, in case she was still asleep. But she was awake. She hadn't gone back to sleep after she had heard him.

But she faked it. She slowly opened her eyes, and blinked a few times.

"Oh…hi," she said, in a small voice she hoped sounded sleepy. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." Said Seth with a smile. Wow. He really knew how to fake it. "Do you want to do something? Anything?"

For a brief, tiny second, Summer felt happy. Because Seth sounded happy. Like he really wanted to be with her, like he really love her, her and the baby. Then she looked into his eyes. And the truth was there. He didn't. He loved her, he loved the baby. But he didn't know if he could help her through this all.

That was why Summer loved him. Not because he didn't know he could be with her for this…That broke her heart. It was the simple fact that he cared enough, he loved her enough, and he was sweet and considerate enough to try. To lie.

"Um." She said. She didn't want to lead him on. "Maybe not. I'd like to…but, um, I think I better get home. I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, OK," He said, helping her down off the bed. He walked her down to the front door.

"Um." She said, standing in the doorway awkwardly.

"Bye Summer." He said, kissing her lips lightly. His kiss, his touch made her body shiver in excitement. Once upon a time, he had felt the same thing. Now, she wasn't so sure.

"Bye Seth," she said. She had stopped calling him Cohen. Just for now. At the moment, Seth seemed more appropriate.

He closed the door lightly, letting her out. He slumped against the closed door, furrowing his brows.

"I _do _love you Summer," he said, to no one in particular. "But I'm not sure I can do it. But I'll try. For you."

Summer walked down the street slowly, her steps small as she tried to control her thoughts.

He had lied to her.

But she wasn't mad at him. He had a good reason. And it made her love him even more.

He had lied _for _her.


	3. Only one place to go

**DISCLAIMER – Oh my God, Oh my God…Fox just called me and said that Josh Schwartz died…I am now the owner of the OC!! sigh I wish.**

**A/N – Sorry it's short people. Thanks for all the great reviews, you make my day!!!**

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Summer held the phone to her ear, listening to the empty ringing.

"Come on…" she whispered. "Answer it. Come on Coop, pick it up…"

The line clicked. "Hello?" came Marissa's voice.

"Coop!"

"Hi Sum…" said Marissa. "What's up?"

"I...I…" she couldn't go on. She didn't know how to tell her.

"Summer?" came Marissa's concerned voice. "Are you OK?"

"Coop…" said Summer in a small, strangled voice. "Can you…can you please come over here?"

"Yeah, of course Sum," Marissa replied. "What's wrong?"

Summer said nothing.

"Sum?"

"Please." Was all she whispered. Then she hung up.

----------------------

"Summer!" Marissa burst into Summer's room without knocking, finding her friend curled up on her bed. "Sum, what's wrong?" she asked, sitting next to her.

Summer raised her head, her eyes still bloodshot from crying.

"It's all bad Coop." She said.

"What's bad Summer?" Marissa asked. "Tell me, please."

Summer opened her mouth to talk, but her words only came out in a whisper.

"I'm pregnant."

Marissa froze in shock. "What? Your pregnant…Oh Sum…I'm sorry. Do you…do you know who the father is?"

Marissa knew about her friend's habits. How she slept around with random's. But she had never judged her on it, because she knew it was only because she couldn't have Seth. But actions would always have consequences. And being pregnant would make it hard to find the father.

Summer nodded. "It's Cohen's."

Marissa froze again, her breath faltering. If it were Seth's…that would be worse then not knowing.

"Oh Summer…" she whispered, wrapping her arms around her friends shoulders. "I'm so sorry…"

Summer felt a tear drop down her cheek. "He says he's going to help me."

Marissa let go off her. "But…that's a good thing right? That's what you wanted…"

Summer shook her head tearfully. "Not like this…He…he said he would try for me. But then I heard him saying that he wasn't sure if he could do it. But I know he'll try. But it's only going to be for the baby…not me. Never for me." She broke down and cried, resting her head on her friends shoulder, as Marissa said nothing. She couldn't think of words that could comfort Summer.

**---------------------------**

"Ryan?" Seth knocked on the poolhouse door, and then went straight in without waiting for him to answer. Ryan lay spread out on the bed, and Seth welcomed himself, sitting down on a chair.

"What Seth?" asked Ryan.

"Man, I need to talk. About…"

Summer, thought Ryan.

"…Summer."

Ryan exhaled deeply, staring at the white ceiling. "Seth, I think you talk about Summer too much. Really, I don't want to know about how much of a bitch she is."

"No, this is really important. She's pregnant."

At this, Ryan sat up, staring at Seth with wide eyes. "She's PREGNANT? Is it yours??"

Seth nodded solemnly, his head turned down.

Ryan didn't know what to say.

"Wh…what are you going to…to do?" he managed to get out.

"I don't know man." Seth put his elbows on his knees and held his head in his hands. "I told her that I'd support her." He mumbled.

"And are you going to?" asked Ryan.

Seth said nothing.

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"Hi dad," Summer said weakly. She walked softly into the living room where her dad sat, watching TV.

"Hi sweetie." He said in a tired voice. Must have been a hard day at work.

"Daddy…can I tell you something?" she asked timidly. She placed her hand on her belly. She could feel the life in there. The life inside her.

He sighed. "Sure honey," he said, and patted the cushion next to her, beckoning her to sit down. She sat. "What is it?"

"Daddy, I…" she couldn't get the words out. She knew her dad would be mad at her. "I…I'm pregnant Daddy."

Her father flew up in a rage. "What??" he asked incredulously. "You're WHAT?"

"I'm pregnant…" Summer said again.

"Is it that comic book guy's…"

"Seth daddy! His name's Seth!"

"His NAME doesn't matter! Was it him? Did he do this to you??"

Summer looked down. "It wasn't his fault…" she said.

"Yes it was Summer! It's not your fault. Nothing's your fault! It's all his…"

"HE DOESN'T WANT THE BABY DAD!" She yelled. "I WANT IT! Not him."

Her father slumped back in shock, breathing deeply. How could this be happening? His little girl…

"Get rid of it." He told her simply.

"WHAT?"

"Get. Rid. Of. It." Her dad said again.

"No."

"Summer, you HAVE to! You can't have a baby now! You're too young. It'll ruin your whole life…"

Summer was trying her hardest to keep the tears away as she told him,

"Dad, my life is ALREADY ruined! But you have no idea do you? Because you don't care. All you care about is your work…You're too wrapped up in that to notice that your daughters life is miserable!!"

Her dad looked as if she had struck him. She had never talked to him like that. He had no idea…

"I will not be talked to like that in my own house." He said quietly. "And if you won't get rid of that…THING…then I don't want you living in this house."

"IT'S NOT JUST A THING DAD!" Summer yelled, getting up. "It's a LIFE. I'm carrying a LIFE. And I'm going to have it, whether you like it or not! Just because my life is shit, doesn't mean I should kill someone else's chance at one! So I'll leave."

Without waiting for an answer, she ran upstairs, and into her room, slamming the door shut. She walked into her wardrobe and grabbed whatever clothes she could, shoving them into an empty suitcase.

She always kept an empty suitcase under her bed. She had, ever since the day her mother had left. Because she had thought, that one day, she might go and live with her. So she would always be ready.

She paused at the photo of her and Seth on her wall. That was when she finally started crying. She took it of the wall.

Finally.

Then she put it in her suitcase, and buried it under her clothes.

She didn't even notice that her sweaters to touching her t-shirts.

She just picked up the suitcase and ran down the stairs. Her father was waiting for her, an ashamed look on his face.

"Sweetie, I'm sorry." He apologised. "I didn't mean it. You can keep it. You can do whatever you want. Just stay here. Please baby?"

She shuddered at the word "baby." She didn't think she would stay. She had to go.

"I'm sorry daddy," she said softly. "I can't stay. I have to go. Bye daddy." She softly kissed his cheek, and left, out the front door, without one look back.

Only when she was out in the street she realised.

She had only one place to go.


	4. My promise will mean something

**DISCLAIMER – I wish.**

**A/N – Thank you everyone for all the reviews!! They are awesome!! Oh, and yes, I recently turned 12…But anyway, on with the story, please keep leaving your reviews!**

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Somehow, ringing Seth's Cohen's doorbell for the second time in one day was even harder then doing it the first time.

The first time she was only telling him that she was carrying his baby, even though he didn't love her anymore because she had slept with some guy she didn't know….

This time, she had to ask him if she was able to live with him, because she had left home after her father refused to believe she was carrying a comic-book-geek's child.

She rang the doorbell once, and her arms automatically dropped to her sides, as heavy as lead-weights.

"Maris…Oh, Summer."

It was Ryan, and as soon as he saw who stood on the Cohen's doorstep an expression mixed of confusion and sympathy appeared on his face. He went in to hug her, and, as surprised as she was, she hugged him back, lightly patting his back.

"Hi Ch…Ryan," she said. Somehow, she couldn't bring herself to call him the old nickname. "Chino" just didn't feel right anymore.

"I was expecting Marissa." He told her pulling away. "Uh…are you here to see…" he trailed off.

"Seth," she finished for him, with as little emotion in her voice as she could, but she could feel and hear the pain that came across, and she was sure that Ryan could as well.

He nodded, but before moving aside to let her in he said, "Um Summer. Seth told me about…you know…How you're…"

"Pregnant." She said, her voice cracking as she said it.

Ryan nodded awkwardly. He didn't know what to say in a situation like this. "Um…I'm…I'm sorry?" he flinched. He didn't think that was the right thing.

Summer looked at him, her large brown eyes growing misty. "Me too." She said, walking past him as he moved aside.

As she dragged her heavy suitcase up the stairway, thoughts of what she would say to Seth spun around in her head.

**Seth…I'm sorry for what I did…I never meant it…**

He wouldn't believe her.

**I know you hate me, but…**

He'd deny it. But she knew the truth.

**I love you Seth.**

She would never hear him tell her the same thing.

She knocked on his door as quietly as she could, hoping that maybe he wouldn't be there, he wouldn't be able to hear her. She didn't want to face him. One look at his brown eyes and her knee's would go weak. One look at the look in them when he looked at her…and the world would come crashing down around her.

"I'm studying…" she heard Seth's distant voice come from inside the room. "…Naked!" he added as an afterthought.

Summer opened the door. "We still have a few weeks left of summer Seth," she said. "And what would it matter if you were naked?" she tried to smile, but it came out weak.

As she entered, Seth jumped off the bed, where, may I add, he had been talking to Captain Oats, fully clothed.

"Summer!" he said, smiling.

It was so forced.

"Hi…" she said.

"Um…what's with the suitcase?" he questioned, glancing at her feet.

Oh God. What would she say…

"Seth I'm sorry for what I did I never meant to hurt you I didn't mean any of it but…but I left home my dad didn't want me to have the baby I want the baby I don't know if you do because I know you hate me but…but…but I need somewhere to stay and and…and you're the only person I could think of you're the only person that would ever let me in and and I…IloveyouSeth."

She said it all without taking a breath, everything that was spinning in her mind, everything she could think of. She had somehow maintained her composure until she had said the last words. That was when the misty substance in her eyes grew to water and flowed down her cheeks.

Seth felt his heart thump as she poured out her soul to him, and miss four beats as she said those words…I love you. Almost like it was saying: "I love you too."

"Summer, I…" he moved towards her, feeling his arms raise as he wrapped her in a warm hug. He felt it.

She did too.

This one was for real.

"I really did never mean it…" she whispered, her words almost muffled as she buried her head in his chest. "I always loved you…"

"I know you didn't mean it Summer," he said, running his hands through her soft, silky hair, letting the strands fall through his fingertips. "And I…I…" he faltered.

"You can't say it can you?" asked Summer, not raising her head. She wasn't quite ready to see the truth in his face.

"Do you know how much you hurt me Summer?" he asked her, reliving all of the awful things she had done, the pain he had felt, anger bubbling inside him.

She shook her head. "I never realised. I never thought. I'm sorry. I see how much it hurt you. And its tearing me apart…I never would have done it…"

Seth exhaled deeply, and Summer could feel his chest vibrating as he breathed. "What's done is done," he said in a flat voice. "We can't change the past. But we can change the future."

Summer finally lifted her head, and looked right up at him. Staring into his eyes now, she realised how tall he was. She had never seen it before. It made her realise how small she truly was. Small, vulnerable, and alone.

"I don't want my past to be our future…" she whispered.

"I don't want that either," he said, hugging her tighter. "And I'm going to try. I know I still feel it for you Summer. It's in me. One day, I will say it. Soon."

"Soon?" asked Summer. That sounded too good to be true.

"Soon." Seth assured her. "I promise."

"You promise…" Summer mumbled into his chest. She could feel him breath. It comforted her so much. But the best part, was hearing his heart beat. His heart, that was still in love with her. The heart that was taken by her.

"I promise." Seth said, stroking her head, letting her dark hair fall between his fingers. "And this time…My promise will mean something."


	5. I hope you can

**DISCLAIMER – Hahaha. Hehehe. Hohoho. Sorry. I'm just laughing at the ridiculousness of me owning the OC.**

**A/N – Awww!! You guys are AWESOME!! Thank you SO much for the reviews, they make my day!  
I just finished Year 6. WOO CLAPS ALL ROUND FOR ME HUH?? **

**It is 10.00 on a Tuesday night, I have an inspection tomorrow morning, and I'm just a bit hypo, so instead of annoying everyone around me which I have been doing for about half an hour, I am writing the next chapter! Yay! OK, how about we get on with the story, now that you've listened to me ramble?**

**---------------------------**

"Does this mean I can stay with you?" sniffed Summer as she pulled away from Seth.

"Of course," said Seth reassuringly. "There's just the matter of telling my parents..."

"Oh God." Muttered Summer. "Will they hate me?" she asked.

"No...No…not as much as they'll hate me anyway. I mean, I don't think my mum ever imagined a girl would talk to me, let alone I'd get one pregnant...and my dad keep's calling me "dog" which is a horror within itself, but he'll probably kill me when he finds out..."

"OK, OK, Seth, it's fine..." Summer told him, putting a finger to his lips to stop his ramblings.

"They won't hate you..." he assured her again, although he still couldn't assure himself they wouldn't hate him.

**----------------------------**

"How was work?" asked Sandy absentmindedly as Kirsten walked through the doorway.

She dropped her bag on the floor and collapsed onto a stall, burying her head in her arms. "Miff" She mumbled incoherently

"That great huh?" Sandy replied, flicking to a new page in the paper.

Kirsten raised her head, pushing back strands of her long blond hair. "You won't believe it. My father's gone crazy...It's like he never considers other peoples feelings..."

"You're right, I don't believe it." He said without looking at her.

Kirsten shot him a long-suffering look. "Enough. He..."

"Please." Interjected her husband. "I have had enough of your father for one decade Kiki."

"Don't." Kirsten told him warningly. "Call. Me. Kiki."

Sandy shrugged and moved to another section of the paper. "Oh look. Snoopy. I love Snoopy."

Kirsten sighed just as her son came walking into the kitchen.

"Hey uh, Mum...uh, Dad." He said.

"Yes?" asked his mother.

"Mmm?" mumbled Sandy, still reading about the adventures of Snoopy and Woodstock.

"I need to talk to you guys..." said Seth with a high degree of awkwardness. "Well, actually..."

"_We _need to talk to you." Summer finished for him, walking in beside him, finally causing his parents to look at them.

**----------------------------**

"Seth, what is so important that we all need to be gathered around the table to hear it?" asked Kirsten, although she was dreading the answer that followed.

"Mr and Mrs Cohen, I..." started Summer.

"Mum, Dad, well listen, Summer, she…"

"I'm pregnant." Blurted out Summer finally, a look of regret instantly crossing her face as she watched Sandy's smile disappear and a look of horror come over Kirsten.

"You're…You're…" started Kirsten, unable to finish the sentence she had began.

"Pregnant." Summer said, staring down at the table as she said it.

"Son?" Sandy turned to Seth. "Is it yours?"

Summer nodded, her head still turned down.

"Are you sure?" Sandy asked her.

Summer raised her head, and looked him straight in the eye. "Positive." She said, almost crying as a look of disappointment flashed in Sandy's eyes as he looked at his son.

"Mrs Cohen," she said, turning desperately to Kirsten. "Please. I can't have an abortion. I just can't."

"It's OK Summer." Nodded Kirsten understandingly. She had been to hell and back with her abortion. She didn't want to burden this poor girl with the same. "No one's expecting you to."

"I don't understand." Said Sandy, still confused. "How long have you two been...together?" he asked with a pause.

"Not since I got back from Tahiti dad." Said Seth, not wanting to meet his father's gaze.

"So…" he turned to Summer. "How far..."

"Two months." Replied Summer without hesitation.

Oh. Sandy sighed inwardly. That explained it.

"I'm sorry for all of this..." Summer started.

"None of it's your fault sweetie," sighed Kirsten, flashing a look at Seth as he put his head down, ashamed.

"...It is." Said Summer. "But I need to ask you something...When I told my dad, he kinda went crazy. And kinda kicked me out. Or I left. Whatever. But the point is…"

"She needs a place to stay until she can have the baby. She packed her stuff but she has no where to go. And I told her she could stay with us, because I'm going to help her through this. We're going to get through it…together." Said Seth in one breath.

Summer smiled at him gratefully.

"Summer..." said Kirsten. "Of course you can stay with us. We're going to help you too…Aren't we Sandy?" she turned to her husband expectantly.

Sandy nodded. "Of course." He said. "You can stay in the guestroom. You can go unpack your stuff now...I'd like to have a bit of a talk to Seth." He continued, turning an ice-cold gaze to his son.

Summer nodded fragilely, scared for what would happen to Seth. She walked up the stairs as slowly as she could.

"Do you want me to…" asked Kirsten, holding her husband's arm.

"No." he told her firmly.

"Are you sure..."

"This is between me and Seth." He said, removing her hand from his arm and moving Seth into the living room.

"Sit." He told him.

Seth sat, and Sandy sat opposite him.

He sighed. "How could you let this happen?" he asked him.

"I don't know." Seth muttered, staring at the floor.

"I thought you were careful. I thought you were sensible. I TRUSTED you to be sensible enough to stop THIS from happening. Do you understand how much this will affect this poor girls life? How much it will affect YOU?"

"It was one time Dad," whispered Seth, still not raising his head. "I didn't think..."

"No." said Sandy. "You didn't think. And this is the consequence. You are going to have to deal with it. Are you and Summer even together?"

Seth shook his head.

"Then what do you plan to do?"

Seth paused for a minute. "Help her."

Sandy looked at his son, sighing in defeat. "I hope you can."


End file.
